Management of postnatal depression.

Depression is common in thepostpartumperiod. It can be severe and may have serious consequences for the woman and her child. The term postnatal depression, however, is often applied indiscriminately to all occurrences of psychological distress after childbirth. It is important to identify and to treat postnatal depression—recently published National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidance supports a range of effective psychological and pharmacological interventions. Here, we discuss current thinking on the clinical features, aetiology, and management of postnatal depression.